More Helles, Less Bock is an easy-drinking lager that blurs the lines between Helles, Bock and Maibock styles. At 5.6% ABV, 21 IBU, and light straw color, Scratch #69 portrays itself as a Helles; but inside the glass lurks a more complex beer reminiscent of the Bock style. Aromatic toasted chestnuts and hints of honeysuckle flower present themselves before the first sip. After tasting More Helles, Less Bock you will immediately want more. The floor-malted barley gives an earthy flavor that pairs with the hints of bitterness from Tradition. The finish is sweet and malty, yet still refreshing; a light filtration adds bread notes at the end.

Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Reviews by tlazaroff:

Clear light golden in color with a nice crisp white head that laces nicely even though it dissipated rather quickly.

Predominant grain aromas coming off this one, not my favorite smell, it reminds me of cereal. But the saving grace is the tiny little bit of caramel that slips in on the nose. It makes it bearable for me.

Upfront I was hit with a blast of caramel, which quickly lent way to a nice floral flavor and then the aftertaste was back to caramel. Delicious! It is drying, light-bodied, crisp, and overall a joy to drink. (533 characters)

More User Reviews:

Bottle from Capone's. Starts out more bock, than finishes more helles. Pleasant enough than finishes more drinkable. A decent beer, but makes me long for something more hoppy, please. Medium yellow coloured body, a little lace. Good carbonation. Smooth, well rounded. (267 characters)

Pours a clear gold, topped with a rich ½ finger of bright-white frothy head. This stays robust, leaving back some thick spotty lacing behind. The aroma smells leafy, spicy, and citric, with maybe a touch of mineral notes as well. The malts and to a lesser degree, the ABV give a push up from the underneath, with sweetness and light warms propping those hops up nicely.

The taste definitely has a bit of a Bock-like thickness to it with sweet notes of honey and buttered toast. The hops here are actually fairly aggressive as well, with a bitter spiciness that spreads out and then green citrus character that works well with the malts. The finish on this is very dry with lingering notes of spice and bitter earth. The mouthfeel is medium, maybe just a touch fuller, with a silky smooth crispness to it that just prickles the tongue a bit as it glides along. There is a little beefiness to this along the back but that Helles side definitely brings it home in the overall feel department with a crisp and drinkable presence.

I liked this, as it definitely delivered what was promised here, with a bit of a sweet and beefy Bock character to it but then in the end the overall crisp and refreshing hop presence of a Helles wins out. This was really tasty and unique and I appreciate the experimentation here. This beer is what the Scratch series is all about IMO. (1,421 characters)

A: The helles bock sure is light, a robust golden straw color that I can clearly see through. A steady stream of bubbles makes the long trek from the bottom of the glass to the top - all in support of a half finger of white head. Lacing follows in a predictable layered pattern.

S: The nose is bready with plenty of sweeter notes running around. Nuts and breads, a bit of toast, lead to sweeter floral aromas with a fruity finish. The malty side is dominant, but the hops and yeast manage to sneak a few pops in. Very robust without being to strong.

T: Plenty light but the lager sure has a great feel. The toasted breads are strong, biscuit and caramel along with some nuts. Hops follow with an earthy feel - almost like noble but with more citrus than herbs - and accompany the malts nicely. The lager has just a bit of fruitiness running around mid sip, light enough to be noticed but not so strong as to change the nature of the bock. The result is dangerously drinkable, a four star untappd call at that point. The finish brings more breadiness to the surface before riding off into the sunset.

M: Two stanges in and I was wishing that I brought along a growler. The lightness, flavorful without being too strong, hit the right notes for me. This one should have been part of the PBW to do. (1,358 characters)

[A] A semi-aggressive pour produces a 1 finger high off-white head, modestly compact and foamy, with larger bubbles breaking the head down as they pop. Retention is just above average. The body is exceptionally clear, light golden orange in color. A modest amount of bubbles rise sluggishly to the top to support the bubbly collar. No lacing.

[S] Strong yeast profile and even stronger grainy malts strike the nose. Doughy bread. Light toast and low melanoidins. Clean floral/spicy hops. (The honeysuckle notes described on Troeg’s website are noticeable now that the seed has been planted.) More alcohol as it warms. Semi estery.

[T] Very full flavored. Spicy, peppery hops give way to the sturdy malt foundation. Mild sweet corn (DMS). It’s hard to believe the ABV is only 5.6% as it is listed here. That is not to say that the alcohol is *highly* apparent – just that the combination of imposing flavors and chewy mouthfeel make you scratch your head a bit.

[M] Thick, slick and kind surprisingly chewy upfront. Mid palate through the end, the fine tingling carbonation sets in and continues to work the tongue for several seconds after the swallow. Moderate effervescence overall. Medium-dry finish.

[O] As advertised. More Helles in appearance; more traditional Bock in aroma and flavor (minus dark malt character) but definitely a hybrid between the two. (1,434 characters)

The beer pours a solid gold color with good head retention and lacing. The nose is fairly attractive as well, showcasing bread dough, honey and light dry citrus. The flavor profile replicates the nose pretty closely in this lightly sweet lager, and the mouthfeel is slick, smooth, medium bodied and lightly bitter on the finish. The finish is otherwise very clean, polished and refreshing in this nicely crafted beer, and alcohol is completely undetectable.

Quite drinkable and enjoyable... just wish there was a bit more going on. (580 characters)

App- Golden, golden in color with lots of bubbles in the glass. A nice soft white two finger head that faded quickly. No real cling or lace.

Smell- A lot going on it this glass. A bit of bready malts, but yet herbal and somewhat of a yeasty quality with a bit of toast behind the nose.

Taste- I was thinking this was going to be a baby Vitus. Had no idea it was a Helles type. After having Hangar24's Helles for fathers day, I just didnt like the style. This was very good. Grassy, cracker and a bit of malt with a floral note.

Mouth- A fairly medium body with a good medium (light) carbonation. A good amount of bubbles and still crisp and clean.

Drink- Not a fan of the style per se, but this beer was might tasty. I could put back a few more. (856 characters)